THE SECOND
(OR OLD) LAY OF GUTHRUN
Gudhrunarkvidha II
(hin forna)
 In this lay we may
recognize the prototype of the various other
"laments" of the Collection. It is
unquestionably older than most--or all--of them, as is
attested not only by its title (see "Brot af Sigurtharkvidha," Concluding
Prose), but also by the fact that it contains, in organic
connection, the themes from which most of the other lays
are derived. Moreover, its legendary form shows an early
stage of the development of the Sigurth legend--Brynhild
is not mentioned at all, and Gunnar's and Hogni's
jealousy of Sigurth is the cause of his death. There are,
to be sure, some later elements, too.
The
greater age (early tenth century?) may also account for
the disordered and fragmentary condition of the text. The
end of the poem and a number of other stanzas are missing
completely. Also, there are remarkable discrepancies
which it is hopeless to attempt to reconcile: the
introduction of dialogues between Guthrun and Atli on the
one hand and Guthrun and Grimhild on the other, for
instance, or the elaborate description of the drink of
forgetfulness, which has no recognizable effect on
Guthrun's memory of Sigurth and of the misdeeds of her
brothers. It is just as futile to expect geographical
consistency in the descriptions of Guthrun's wanderings
and her journey to Atli's court. In fact, it may fairly
be questioned whether the lay as we have it really is of
one piece and not, rather, patched together from an
imperfect recollection of two or more lays. But making
allowances for the poor transmission, there are some
vigorous passages and some touching lines in the poem,
especially in Guthrun's plaint over Sigurth.
The
Volsunga saga cites a couple of stanzas of the lay in
full, and paraphrases the whole rather closely. The first
five stanzas are there given as a monologue, the
remainder is treated as a narrative. The Collector's
statement that the lay is Guthrun's plaint addressed to
Thjothrek may be derived from "Gudhrunarkvidha" III, St. 4.
But in all likelihood the poem was conceived as a
monologue.
Thjothrek (1) had been
with Atli, and had there lost most of his men. (2)
Thjothrek and Guthrun rehearsed their sorrows to one
another. She spoke to him and said:
1. Me, fairest of
maids, my mother reared;
in bower, happy, my
brothers I loved,
till that Gjuki with
gold me dowered,
with gold me dowered
and gave me to Sigurth.
1.
Historically, Theodoric, the King of the Ostrogoths, who
reigned toward the end of the fifth century. His name
corresponds to the MHG. Dietrich.
2.
According to German tradition, as embodied in the
Nibelungenlied, he lost them in battle against the
Burgundians.
2. Was my Sigurth
'mongst the sons of Gjuki
like the garlic grown
the grass above,
or the high-legged
hart the hinds among, (3)
or glow-red gold
amidst grey silver.
3.
Conjectural. Similar figures are used in "Gudhrunarkvidha" I, St. 19,
and "Helgakvdha Hundingsbana" II, St. 38.
3. Then Gjuki's sons
did grudge me this---
that my husband was
mightier than they;
nor could they sleep
nor sit in judgement,
before Sigurth was
slain by them.
4. Back galloped
Grani, his gait I knew, (4)
but still Sigurth
himself came not;
with sweat were wet
the saddle horses,
oft made to moil,
which the murderers rode.
4. Added
ad sensum by the Translator.
5. To Grani weeping
went I to speak,
with tear-wet cheeks
tried his tale to gather.
His head drooped Grani
to the grass adown:
he knew, no longer
lived his master.
6. Long I tarried, at
a loss in my mind,
ere after him I asked
the king.
7. His head drooped
Gunnar; but Hogni told me
of my lord Sigurth's
sorrowful death:
"By the sword
slain lies he who slew Guthorm, (5)
to the ravens given,
beyond the Rhine. (6)
5. See
"Sigurtharkvidha hin skamma," St. 23.
6.
Literally, "beyond the flood."
8. "In Southland
seek thou Sigurth's body,
there mayst thou hear
the hoarse ravens,
the cry of eagles,
eager for meat,
the howl of wolves thy
husband about."
(Guthrun said:)
9. "Thou art
hardy, Hogni, thus hatefully
Sigurth's widow this
woe to tell:
should ravens rive thy
ruthless heart,
in faraway lands alone
should'st die." (7)
7.
Conjectural.
10. Answered Hogni
only thuswise,
grim in his mind, with
gloomy words:
"But greater
grew, Guthrun, thy woe
if ravens rived my
ruthless heart." (8)
8. Because
he is her brother.
11. Then turned I me
from talk away,
in the woods to gather
what wolves had left;
I whimpered not, nor
my hands did wring,
nor wept, either, as
women else,
as I sate sorrowing
over Sigurth's corse.
12. Dark night and
moonless to me it seemed,
as in sorrow I sate
over Sigurth's corse.
(The wolves heard I
howling about me,
and hungry ravens,
hoarsely croaking.) (9)
9.
Supplied, following Bugge's suggestion, after Volsunga
saga, Chap. 32.
13. Far better
meseemed if my brothers had
slain their sister
after Sigurth,
and had burned me like
birchen wood.
14. On the fells fared
I five days together,
till Half's (10)
high-built hall I beheld.
I sate with Thora
seven half-years,
Hakon's daughter, in
Danish lands.
10.
Sigurth's stepfather (see "Fra daudha
Sinfjotla"). Thora and Hakon probably are figures
invented by the poet, since the whole episode is peculiar
to this lay.
15. In gold she
broidered, to gladden me,
Danish swans and
Southern halls;
kingly war play the
cloths did show,
our handiwork, and
hero's thanes;
red shields of war
eke, ready henchmen,
helm-clad, sword-girt
Hunnish war host;
16. Seaward sailing,
King Sigmund's ships,
with golden dragons
and graven stems;
in the web we weaved
the wars which fought
Sigar and Siggeir,
(11) south by Funen. (12)
11. The
names belong to the Siklings, a royal race of Denmark.
12. The
large Danish island.
17. Then heard
Grimhild, (13) the Gothic (14) queen,
(that soothed I was
somewhat in mind): (15)
flung down her web and
fetched her sons;
to ask gan she most
eagerly,
if amends to me they
meant to make
for Sigurth slain and
his young son. (16)
13.
Guthrun's mother. See "Gripisspa," St. 33 and
note.
14. Here
merely an honorific epithet.
15.
Supplied after Zupitza: the text is defective here.
16. See
"Sigurtharkvidha hin skamma," St. 12.
18. Was Gunnar ready
gold to offer,
Hogni also, to heal my
sorrows.
Further asked she who
to fare was ready, (17)
to hitch the horse to
the wheeled chariot,
[ to sit his horse and
the hawk let fly,
to shoot from yew-bow
the shafted arrow]. (18)
17. To
fetch Guthrun home?
18. These
lines clearly do not belong here. They read as though
they originally belonged to "Rigsthula." In the
manuscript there follow the lines: Eke Valdar the Dane,
with Jarizleif, Eymoth third, and Jarizkar, which are
evidently also out of their context.
19. In then wended,
athelingwise,
the folk-warden's
thanes; (19) were their frieze coats red,
their byrnies short,
their helms blazoned,
were they girt with
swords and swart of hair.
19. These
are Atli's (Hunnish) emissaries, come to sue for
Guthrun's hand---a plan contrived by Grimhild. At least
one stanza seems to be missing in which their journey and
Guthrun's return from Denmark to the court of the
Gjukungs was described.
20. Would all choose
me their choicest gifts,
their choicest gifts,
and speak cheer to me
that of many sorrows I
might in time
win me a truce; but I
trusted them not.
21. Gave me Grimhild a
goblet to drink,
cool and bitter, my
cares to forget.
Was the mead mixed
with the might of the earth, (20)
with ice-cold sea, and
the sacred boar's blood.
20. See
"Voluspa hin skamma," St. 10.
22. Runestaves full
many stood on the horn
stained and graven---
I guess them not:
a heath-fish long of
the Haddings' (21) land,
an uncut ear, the
inward of beasts.
21. The
Haddings were sea kings. Thus, in the skaldic manner
"the Haddings land" would be the sea; and
"a long heath-fish of the Haddings' land," a
kenning for an eel; but, punctuated differently, the
passage would mean "a serpent and an uncut ear (or
grain) of the Haddings' land," that is,
"seaweed."
23. Were brewed in
this beer many baleful things:
all worts of the
woods, wilted acorns,
soot of the hearth,
sacred entrails,
a swines's boiled
liver, my sorrow to deaden.
24. Then altogether
forgot I him,
my Sigurth, slain by
sword in hall: (22)
to my knees came then
three kings from Hunland, (23)
ere Grimhild herself
did say to me:
22. The
line is difficult.
23. Kings
tributary to Atli.
25. "Gold I give
thee, Guthrun, to have,
the fair folk-lands
thy father had,
with their hangings
eke Hlothver's (24) castles,
and all the wealth the
warrior (25) owned;
24. See
"Volundarkvidha," Introductory Prose.
25.
Sigurth (?).
26. "Hunnish
maidens, handicraft-skilled
in gold to broider, to
gladden thee;
alone shalt wield the
wealth of Buthli,
be with gold endowed,
and given to Atli."
(Guthrun said:)
27. "Nevermore
Iwish a mate to have,
nor Brynhild's
brother's his bed to share;
not seeming is it with
the son of Buthli
to beget children and
a glad life live."
(Grimhild said:)
28. "Harbor no
more hateful counsels,
though we have, truly,
wrought wicked deeds;
thy lot will be lief,
as though living still
were Sigurth and
Sigmund, if sons thou bear him."
(Guthrun said:)
29. "Not may I,
Grimhild, in gladness live,
nor hold out hopes to
the Hunnish king
since Sigurth's
heartblood the hungry wolves
and greedy ravens
drank together."
(Grimhild said:)
30. "Among heroes
he is highest of kin,
and foremost found
where foes are met.
His wife shalt be till
wanes thy life----
or husbandless live
save him thou choosest."
(Guthrun said:)
31. "No longer
lure me, nor lend thy words
thus eagerly to that
evil kin:
on Gunnar will he
grimly wreak him,
and the heart tear out
of Hogni's breast."
32. Weeping Grimhild
the word did hear
which boded ill to
both her sons,
to her offspring an
awful fate:
"Land I give
thee, and lieges eke,
thy own forever, to
ease thy heart.
[Wineburg, Walburg, if
thou wilt have them.]" (26)
26. This
line (the poor alliteration exists in the original) is no
doubt an interpolation, though already known to the
author of the Volsunga saga (Chap. 32).
33. Then chose I him
the chieftains among,
by Grimhild driven,
against my will;
though hardly can I
this husband love,
nor my brothers'
slaughter save my children:
34. (I shall slay full
soon my sons by him---
thus grimly avenge the
Gjukungs' fall;) (27)
nor will I rest ere
reft I have
the lusty life of the
leader-in-war. (28)
27.
Supplied after Heusler's suggestion.
28. Atli.
The remainder of the stanza transposed here (with Bugge)
from its original position after St. 31.
35. Their steeds
forthwith bestrode the thanes;
were the Southern
women upon wains lifted.
For seven days we
drove through cold lands,
for other seven our
oars we plied,
for still other seven
dry steppes we rode. (29)
29. The
stanza describes the journey of Guthrun (and the
Gjukungs?) to the realm of Atli.
36. The castle
wardens, ere we rode in
undid the bars of the
doorway's gate, (30)
......................
.......... . .............
30.
Several stanzas must be missing here, dealing with her
marriage and the fall of the Gjukungs. The Volusnga saga
afords no help.
37. Atli waked me---
but I weened to be
grim in my mind for
kinsmen murdered.
(Atli said:)
38. "Nightly
norns me but now awakened---"
Was I to make out his
evil dream----
"Meseemed,
Guthrun, Gjuki's daughter,
that with stealthy
steel thou didst stab me through." (31)
31. See
"Atlakvidha" and "Atlamal" for the
deeds here prognosticated in Atli's dreams.
(Guthrun said:)
39. "A burning
bodes it, it of blades one dreams;
if of woman's wrath,
mere wilfulness: (32)
burn thee (33) shall I
'gainst bale and woe,
and as leech nurse
thee, though loth to me."
32.
Interpreted ad sensum.
33.
Perhaps some cauterization is meant.
(Atli said:)
40. "Meseemed in
my garth two saplings fell,
though greatly wished
I to let them grow,
by the roots uptorn,
reddened with blood;
which, borne to my
bench, thou didst bid me eat.
41. "Meseemed
from my hand two hawks did fly,
famished for food, to
the fateful house;
their hearts,
meseemed, with honey I ate
in sorry mood---- were
they swol'n with blood.
42. "Meseemed
from my hand two whelps I loosed;
the young yearlings
yelped bitterly:
their flesh, meseemed,
though foul became,
I was made to eat, all
unwilling."
(Guthrun said:)
43. "That means
that swains of slaughter speak,
and hew off the heads
of white-haired cattle:
they are fey to fall
within few nights' time---
before daybreak--- for
folks to eat." (34)
34. See
"Atlamal," St. 19. The rendering of the stanza
is doubtful; but no doubt there is an intentional
ambiguity on the part of Guthrun. In the Volsunga saga,
Chap. 33, Guthrun says, "Not good are these dreams,
but they will come true; thy sons are likely to be
fey."
(Atli said:)
44. "Meseemed I
lay, nor to sleep listed,
upon my bed---- I will
bear it in mind." (35)
35. As the
poem breaks off here, a definite interpretation of the
last line is impossible.
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